A History of Words Related to Film and Cinema
Website created by Ben Boruff.
This site features etymological examinations of words related to film and cinema. To see a full list of words examined here, visit the Examined Words page. To view sources, visit the Works Cited page.
Words
Anatomy of the Word “Transition”
Explanation of Concept In film, a transition is a shift from one scene, shot, or moment to the next. Many…
Anatomy of the Word “Script”
Explanation of Concept In film, a script is a written version of the narrative that highlights character dialogue and stage…
Anatomy of the Word “Screenplay”
Explanation of Concept A screenplay is a script written specifically for film. Though there are some notable differences, screenplays are…
Anatomy of the Word “Scene”
Explanation of Concept In film, a scene is a moment within a movie, generally one that takes place within one…
Anatomy of the Word “Producer”
Explanation of Concept In film, a producer is an individual who supervises a film production. Producers may be involved in…
Anatomy of the Word “Pan”
Explanation of Concept In film, to pan is to move the camera from one position to another, usually in a…
Anatomy of the Word “Montage”
Explanation of Concept In film, a montage is a series of sequential shots that coalesce narratively to achieve a desired…
Anatomy of the Word “Zoom”
Explanation of Concept In film, a zoom is a type of shot in which the camera operator changes the focal…
Anatomy of the Word “Lens”
Explanation of Concept In film, a lens is a part of the camera that helps determine the nature and effect…
Anatomy of the Word “Gaffer”
Explanation of Concept In film, the gaffer is a lead member of a film crew, likely in charge in of…
Anatomy of the Word “Frame”
Explanation of Concept In film, a frame is a single shot of a larger film. Framing refers to the process…
Anatomy of the Word “Angle”
Explanation of Concept In film, “angle” refers to the orientation of the camera in relation to the subject. Camera angle…
Anatomy of the Word “Camera”
Explanation of Concept A camera is a device with which photographers, operators, and others can create photographs and videos of…
Anatomy of the Word “Cinematography”
Explanation of Concept Cinematography refers to the art of making motion pictures. More specifically, the word may refer to the…
Anatomy of the Word “Clapboard”
Explanation of Concept A clapboard is small device (a board) on which information about the shot is contained. Prior to…
Anatomy of the Word “Film”
Explanation of Concept As a verb, to film refers to the act of creating a motion picture. As a noun,…
Anatomy of the Word “Director”
Explanation of Concept The director of the film is the individual responsible for overseeing nearly all aspects of the filmmaking…
Anatomy of the Word “Cut”
Explanation of Concept In film, “cut” can be both a verb and a noun. As a verb, the word refers…
Anatomy of the Word “Close-up”
Explanation of Concept A close-up is a type of shot in which the camera is positioned close to the subject.…
Anatomy of the Word “Claymation”
Explanation of Concept Claymation is a type of stop-motion animation that uses a series of photos of clay or other…
Website created by Ben Boruff.
History of Words Related to Film and Cinema 